UTICA — The Mohawk Valley is ready to ride the revolution once again, fighting stroke and heart disease in a relay-style, stationary cycling event, according to organizers of the annual local CycleNation event.

On Thursday, Oct. 27, CycleNation will take place at Carbone Athletics at the Fitness Mill, 1707 Oriskany Street W.. Doors open at 4:30 p.m., and participants will cycle from 5 to 7 p.m.

There will be a celebration right afterward at 16 Stone Brewpub. This year’s event will have a Halloween theme.

“Stroke is the No. 5 killer in America, and a leading cause of disability,” said Christine Kisiel, executive director of the American Heart Association in the Mohawk Valley. “One of the leading causes of stroke is high blood pressure, and the Mohawk Valley Blood Pressure Initiative is helping Mohawk Valley residents identify whether they have high blood pressure. Combined with CycleNation, we are making real progress toward reducing stroke in our area. CycleNation is also a very energetic, upbeat event, and with a Halloween theme this year, it will be even more fun than usual.”

In Oneida County, 32.7% of adults report having high blood pressure, officials said. In the City of Utica, that number rises to 34.2%. Those numbers are higher than the New York state average of 29.9%.

Participants can register for CycleNation at CycleNation.org/Utica, then build teams of 4–8 people to cycle for as little as 15 minutes, or the entire two hours. Teams fundraise a minimum of $2,000 per bike to support the fight against stroke.

More stroke facts include:

Managing stress also helps prevent stroke. Women ages 35 and younger are 44% more likely to have the most common type of stroke, ischemic, than men.

For information about CycleNation, contact Marianne.Hagadorn@heart.org or Renee.Hartnett@heart.org.